According to new research by scientists at Cambridge University, an alternating 80-day cycle should be introduced until 2022. The strategy they say, is based on formulas using data from 16 countries.
Lead author Dr Rajiv Chowdhury, of Cambridge University, said: “Although we did not model the situation in the UK, I would expect it to be very similar to that in other high income countries.”
The study was published in the European Journal of Epidemiology and claims it could save jobs – relieving financial insecurity and social disruption.
This measure will continue to include social distancing, isolating suspected infected individuals, school closures – and lockdowns.
Specific durations of the interventions would need to be defined by each country. The key is to identify a pattern that protects the population from Covid-19 as well as economic hardship and mental health issues.
The virus has been detected in every country, with more than 4.8 million confirmed cases and a death toll of over 323,256 to date.
There is no one prescribed treatment yet and vaccines are in the workings but no one available yet.
Reference
Chowdhury, R, et al. Dynamic interventions to control COVID-19 pandemic: a multivariate prediction modelling study comparing 16 worldwide countries. European Journal of Epidemiology; 20 May 2020; DOI: 10.1007/s10654-020-00649-w
